RELEASE · STARTUPS · #1093
Thoughtful Things launches Engram, a local 'tiny AI' sampler on Kickstarter
Music startup Thoughtful Things has launched a Kickstarter for Engram, a sampler/groovebox that runs a custom in-house "tiny AI" locally to mangle incoming audio and hallucinate new sounds. The company says it trained models only on open, commercially-licensed datasets (CC-BY or similar), plans to open Engram's firmware for custom models, and is offering a limited Kickstarter run with early pledges at $675 (expected retail around $850–$900).
KEY POINTS
- Music startup Thoughtful Things has launched a Kickstarter for Engram, a sampler/groovebox that runs a custom in-house "tiny AI" locally to mangle incoming audio and hallucinate new sounds.
- The company says it trained models only on open, commercially-licensed datasets (CC-BY or similar), plans to open Engram's firmware for custom models, and is offering a limited Kickstarter run with early pledges at $675 (expected retail around $850–$900).
- Engram shows an experimental, on-device approach to generative audio with open firmware and explicit licensing claims, relevant for audio creativity, model deployment, and data-use debates.
WHY IT MATTERS
Engram shows an experimental, on-device approach to generative audio with open firmware and explicit licensing claims, relevant for audio creativity, model deployment, and data-use debates.